By Don Tagala, ABS-CBN North America Bureau
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Daly City, CA - When Dory Paniza left her hometown in Iloilo, Philipines she had no idea what kind of life awaited her here in the U.S.

Like many Filipinos, Paniza’s dream was to make it in the U.S. so that she could help others back home.

After working many odd jobs in the 90s, she worked her way up to become a marketing director in a nursing facility in San Francisco.

She saved enough money and later started her own homecare business.

Carehome owner Paniza says: “Lagi kayong magpapasalamat sa nagbibigay sa inyo ng tulong because that would you know, pasasalamat is always there, aakyat ka talaga pataas.
(Always thank the people who helped you along the way, don¦t forget to thank them, they¦re the ones who will help you to be successful.)”

Paniza said employing Filipinos in her company is her way of helping our kababayans.

She says she takes good care of her employees because she knows how it was like to be a new immigrant struggling in America.

Every year, and now every month she gives them free phonecards so they get to call their loved ones back home

Caregiver Concepcion Fabregar said: “Thankful ako dahil siyempre imbis na magbibili pa kami ng phone card¦ nagpapsalamat kami sa kanya saka sa Panginoon  na binigyan kami ng mga incentives.
(I¦m very thankful of course, instead of spending money for phone cards, we get it for free, we thank God that she gives us these kinds of incentives)”

Paniza said she wants to do more as the first Filipino-American councilwoman in Daly City, “The reason why I’m running for Daly City councilwoman para marining ang boses ng mga Pilipino, ng mga kababayan at para maka-access din sila kung ano yung kailangan nila sa Daly City. (The reason why I¦m running for the Daly City Councilwoman position, to give Filipino Americans a voice and for them to access resources provided by the City Government of Daly City.)”

Paniza is running in the November 13 local elections.

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